Sometimes

Max lay face down on the asphalt, a pool of blood spreading out around him water from a reservoir.  Frank was the first one there; he turned over Max to see the gaping wound in his chest.

"Christ on a pony," Frank stated. He tried to stop the blood from escaping Max's body by slamming his palm over the wound, but to no avail.

"Oh no," Angst said. "This can't be happening. Not now." Angst turned her eyes from Max's body; she saw Suki approaching and went to her, to shield the young girl. Even though Suki had seen a lot, Angst didn't want her to see Max this way.

"It's not stopping!" Frank cried out in vain. Blood covered his hands so that it looked like he was wearing red surgical gloves. "Someone get Maggie! NOW!!!"

"It's no use, Frank. He's gone," Goner said after checking Max's pulse.

"He c-c-an't be," Suki yelled. "He's Max!"

"Now, now, child," Angst said in a motherly tone towards Suki. Angst herded Suki off to one side and you could hear the sobs coming from her. A river of tears began to flow and it spread like a contagion as Angst, Goner and now Frank seemed to be caught in its snare.

Max's lifeless eyes where staring up at the heavens, and with a wave of his hand Frank closed them.

"Cut!" a voice shouted out. "THAT WAS AWESOME! It's a wrap!"

Max's eyes fluttered open. He saw Frank, Goner, Angst, and Suki standing around him; beyond that he saw two dozen other bodies now moving about. All seemed to be in a state of celebrating something that just happened.

"That's it boys and girls," the voice said. "We've done all we could do, now it's up for the editors and FX crew to work their magic."

He didn't know what happened. He stared down at the gaping wound in his chest, his finger examining the wound, and he brought his finger up to his nose to smell. Sugary red syrup.

"Let me help you up, buddy,"Frank said to him as he offered his hand. "I think that scene has Oscar written all over it!"

"Denver," Suki said as she came over to Frank. "Are you going to The Den for the wrap party?"

"I'll be over later, Lon-Rii. Need to shower and get this shit off me."

Max sat there and looked around, a dumbfounded look on his face.

"What do you think Aaron?" Frank asked him. "You think we'll get a nomination this time around?"